A variety of compounds, whose molecular structure is analogous to that of compound (I) of the instant invention, are known in the art. They belong to the class of chemicals which present an affinity with damascones and .beta.-damascenones and since their discovery (see Swiss Pat. No. 520,479), the growing interest raised by this type of compounds has directed much of the industrial effort. Very numerous are indeed their applications, both in the flavour and the fragrance area.
Among the cited known compounds, one may cite the epoxides of formula ##STR3## wherein the oxygen is bound to the carbon atoms at positions 1 and 2 or 2 and 3 of the cyclohexanic ring (see Swiss Pat. No. 536,834), which compounds are used as intermediates in a process for the preparation of .beta.-damascenone. U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,326 mentioned also their organoleptic properties (see namely Example 40, column 53) without however describing their specific characters.